Safety car-coupling.



PATBNTED MAY 2, 1905.

v I *mm HHHHHHH UH HIHHHIHW NTTED STATES Patented May 2, 1905.

\VILLIAM D. WORTHINGTON, OF MAYS LICK, KENTUCKY.

SAFETY CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 788,982, dated May 2, 1905.

Application filed January 16, 1905. $erial1l0. 241,356.

To all'whom 712'; may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM D. WORTHING- 'roN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mays Lick, in the county of Mason and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Safety-Car-Coupling Draw-Head, of which the following is a specification. I

My invention relates to coupling devices, and more particularly to that classwherein the coupler is automatic in operation, one of the'objects being to provide a device of the character described that shall be simple and effective in operation and wherein the cars may be coupled automatically and uncoupled from the top of the car, thus doing awaywith the necessity of passing between the cars to perform the coupling or uncoupling operation.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character describedwhereby the coupling-link will always remain in a horizontal position and not drop down after one end thereof is released, the link being always left in position to be received by the draw-head on the opposite car.

Further objects and advantages of my invention, as well as the structural features by means of which said objects are attained, will be made clear by an examination of the specification, taken in connection with the accom-. panying drawings, in which the same reference-numerals indicate corresponding portions throughout, and in which Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the coupling-pin shown lifted and ready to receive the link. Fig. 3 is a top plan of the upper bar in the draw-head. Fig. 4 is atop plan of the lower bar, and Fig. 5 is a detail of the plate which rests on the lower bar.

1 designates a draw-head, 2 a lower bar, and 3 an upper bar, both of said bars being slidably mounted in the draw-head and actuated by the helical springs l, the bar 2 having a plug 5 rigidly mounted on or made integral with one end thereof to hold the same in place.

6 designates a plate bent on itself at right angles and having two kerfs 7 therein, as shown in Fig. 5. This plate is arranged between the bars 2 and 3. with the lower kerf running over the bar 2, the object of said plate being to serve as a rest or support for the upper bar 3, which has an oblong space 8 therein, in which is pivoted a lever 9, one end of which drops down into the open space 10 in the lower bar 2 and engages with said bar at one end of the open space. The other end of said lever engages with the roof of the recess in the draw-head in which this mechanism works, which roof has a cam-surface 10, so that when said lever is pushed back against the same the end thereof is gradually raised until the other end is brought out of engagement with said space 10.

The bar 3 is provided with a narrow projection 11. which engages with the couplingpin 12 and holds the same in elevated position after the link 13 has been withdrawn, as shown in Fig. 2. The outer end of the lower bar 2 is cut away, as shown at 14:, leaving a recess for the reception of the link 13, which recess has an overhanging projection 15, with which it engages and which serves to hold the link in a horizontal position when the other end thereof is released.

In operation the link 13 enters the outer opening in the draw-head and engages with the lower bar 2, forcing same against the helical spring 4; thereon. One end of the lever 9 being in engagement with said lower bar, as shown in Fig. 2, the upper bar 3 is also forced back against the helical spring 1 thereon until both of said bars are thrown back in the position shown in Fig. 1. As soon as the lug 11 leaves the coupling-pin 12 the pin drops into operative position. One end of the lever 9 engaging with the camsurface of the roof in the draw-head is forced downward until the other end leaves the open space 10, whereupon the helical spring mounted on the lever 3 forces the lever forward and the lug 11 is thrown in contact with the pin 12, as shown in Fig. 1. Attached to said pin 12 is a chain 16, by means of which the pin is pulled out of operative position when it is desired to uncouple, whereupon the helical spring 4. on the lower bar 2 throws said bar outward and permits the lever 9 to again drop in operative position.

Having thus described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a car-coupler, a draw-head, a springactuated bar slidably mounted in said drawhead, a second spring-actuated bar slidably mounted in the draw-head, and a lever pivotally mounted on said second bar and adapted to engage with the first-mentioned bar, sub stantially as described.

2. In acar-coupler, ahollow draw-head having a cam-shaped roof, a spring-actuated'bar slidably mounted in the draw-head and having a kerf therein, a second spring-actuated bar slidably mounted in the draw-head above the first-mentioned bar and having an oblong slot therein, and a lever pivoted in said slot and adapted to drop into the kerf in the firstmentioned bar, one end of said lever engaging with the cam-shaped roof, substantially as described.

3. In a coupling device, the combination with a hollow draw-head, of a spring-actuated bar slidably mounted in the draw-head and having a kerf therein, a second springractuated bar slidably mounted above the first-mew tioned bar and having an oblong slot therein, a lever pivotally'mounted Within said slot, one end of said lever being adapted to drop into the kerf and engage with the first-mentioned bar, the other end of said lever being arranged to engage with the roof of the draw-head whereby it is lifted out of said kerf, and a plate mounted between said bars, substantially as described.

4. In acar-coupling device, the combination with a hollow draw-head, of a spring-actuated bar slidably mounted in said draw-head and having a kerftherein, a second spring-actuated bar slidably mounted in the draw-head above the first-mentioned bar and having an oblong slot therein, a lever pivoted in said slot and having one end adapted to drop into the kerf, and means for actuating the other end of said lever, substantially as described. A

5. In a car-coupler, a draw-head, a springactuated bar slidably mounted in said drawhead and having a kerf therein, one end of said bar being cut away to receive the coupling-link and having an overhanging projection adapted to'hold said link in position, a second spring-actuated bar slidably mounted in the draw-head and having an oblong space therein, and a lever pivotally mounted in the space in said second bar and adapted to en- 5 gage with the first-mentioned bar, substantially as described.

6. In a car-coupling device, the combination with a hollow draw-head having a cam-roof, of a spring-actuated bar slidably mounted in 6 said draw-head and having a kerf therein, one end of said bar being cut away to receive the coupling-link and having an overhanging projection arranged to hold said link in position,

a second spring-actuated bar slidably mount- 6 ed in the draw-head and having an oblong slot therein, a lever pivotally mounted in said slot and having one end adapted to drop into the kerf and the other end arranged to come in contact with the cam -surface of the roof 7 whereby it is actuated, a plate suitably m0unted between said bars and serving as a support for the upper bar, and a lug formed integral with the upper bar and arranged to engage with the coupling-pin, substantially as de- 7 scribed.

WILLIAM D. WOR'IHINGION.

Witnesses:

CLEVELAND WoRTHrNo'roN, ROBERT G. WOOD. 

